A Second Chance
by Rachelxx47
Summary: I'm one of the few but passionate Jacob fans. This story takes place during the epilogue of Eclipse when Jacob is running through the woods. A new girls shows up in town and changes everything. Sound familiar? Maybe.. maybe not.
1. Desperate To Help

**Author's Note: Sorry if the beginning seems boring! I had to set up the story before I could get to the good stuff ;**

Chapter 1: Desperate to Help

I didn't see it coming. I never thought that moving to some Indian reservations called La something would help my mom cope with dad leaving us, but I was willing to give it a shot. I was willing to do _anything_ to get my mom to stop crying every night. It was too painful to see her cry.

My mom, Annie, and I were so close. Almost like sisters. Something you don't hear too often but it's true. Sort of like what you'd expect to see on an episode of Gilmore Girls. My dad, Mitchell, left us a year ago to run off with some woman he'd met while away in the Amazon. He was a nature photographer, so not having him around wasn't anything new to me. Once he'd left, we'd moved from small town to small town. I think it was a defense mechanism for my mom since she had spent her whole life, her whole tormented life, in the city. So far none had seemed like that perfect small town to settle in, and I didn't expect this one to be any different. Yet, I kept my bitter comments to myself and painted a smile on my face for my mom.

The rainy forest that passed by my car window in a blur seemed mystical to me. Being the offspring of a nature photographer and a Veterinarian technician, I guess I was prone to nature. I liked being outside, especially when it rained. It just feels… right, like I was supposed to be born as a woodland animal and by some accident of fate I ended up in my mom's womb. Although I was an accident, I knew that.

"Rachel sweetie?" My mom's voice cut off my train of thought and my head snapped away from the window. "We're almost there. Do you want to start getting your things together?" Her eyes moved from my face down to the mess of empty coffee cups, fast food bags, and personal affects of mine that lay by my feet.

"Sure mom," Was all I could think of. How long had I been daydreaming outside the window this time?

I had a habit of daydreaming a lot. It seemed like sometimes my mind was just too small to hold all of my thoughts and hopes, so to de-clutter my head I would let them wander free. My mom called it flakiness, I called it creativity.

Once the mess had been cleaned and all trash was in one big McDonald's bag, I twisted my body around again to curl up in my seat and resume daydream mode. Before I could get totally comfortable, something out of place caught my eye. I flicked my eyes up to the window but nothing seemed out of place. Probably just a fallen tree or something, I thought to myself.

Once the trees started to give way into larger streets, shops, and finally houses, my interest was peaked. This place didn't seem small and boring like so many others. It seemed, different. Eventually the horizon gave way to a crystal blue ocean, despite the rainy day. I straightened my body in my seat to get a better look at the water. It was beautiful, the site almost breathtaking. All around the ocean I could see beaches and a series of cliffs that dropped right into the water. My mom smiled at my sudden interest, she had known I'd like it here. And for the first time, I did believe I'd like it here.

"Welcome to La Push, Washington sweetie," My mom smiled over at me, triumphantly. My mom had never picked such a beautiful town before. By the time our street finally wound into our new, small driveway, I was itching to explore the reservations.

The engine cut off, and only a moment later I was out of the car and jumping to undo the ropes that bound our possessions to the roof of my mom's 1994 green Sudan. Green was both of our favorite colors. She chose a green car because she said it made people want to look at her car as it sped down the street.

Once our belongings were finally off the car and into our cozy new house I picked up one of the boxes labeled "Rachel" and began to trudge off to claim my new room.

"Rachie don't be silly, I can see it all over your face," My mom knew me too well, but I chose to play along. Just for laughs. I looked up from the box and gave her a clueless look, one you might find on the face of a five year old being asked by their mother where the last cookie went.

"What's all over my face?" I asked, putting in as much effort as I could to sound believable.

"Rachel I've told you time and time again, you're no actress. Now go explore the woods. Take your cell phone and be back before dark."

I put the box back down, ran up to my mom to give her a hug. She pulled my body away from hers, brushed a wisp of blonde hair away from my face and smiled. She then gave me a shove and I sprinted out the door. I heard an "I love you honey" as I closed the door, but I didn't feel like opening it again just to respond. As soon as I was outside I instantly felt a wave of relief wash over me. I sat on our front steps for a while and stared at the woods across the street. The rain had ceased and now only a faint mist hung in the cloudy air, a scent that pleased my senses. Sighing with satisfaction as I got up, I wiped off my jeans and headed across the street into my own personal dream world.


	2. Fantasy

**Author's Note: Stephenie Meyer rocks! I hope you guys like this please review **

The trees were full of green leaves, as they should be since it was early July. The air was cool and comfortable and the sounds of wildlife were all around me. That was one of my favorite things, the faint sounds of wildlife that you had to listen ever so carefully to in order to be able to hear them. Aside from the snapping of twigs and the squishing of soft earth beneath my feet, I would occasionally hear a bird call its mate, angry chatter of some not far off chipmunks, or the rustling of the trees as a cool breeze swept across the enchanting scene. Things were calm here. I always felt at peace when I was in the woods. I liked the quiet.

But suddenly, things were too quiet. The forest had become dead silent except for the sound coming from under my sneakers. Something was wrong. Someone or something had made everything else in the forest shut up. That someone or something had to be pretty powerful to do that. What animal would cause fear in every other animal in the forest? A coyote maybe, did they even have those here? I wasn't afraid though. Nature didn't frighten me no matter how gruesome it got. I was merely fascinated by it.

I wound through the never-ending forest for a few more minutes and suddenly spotted a large, dry looking rock. I stared at it in approval and sat down for a minute.

"Ugh," I said to myself. "Not dry." I stood up, took off my blue hooded sweatshirt, laid it down over the rock's surface, and sat down once more. The sun, just peeking through the holes in the trees above me, lathered my bare arms with warmth. I threw my head back and let my hair shake in the occasional breeze that passed by. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment.

A twig snapped somewhere, somewhere close. My eyes flew open and I jerked my head all around me to find the source of the noise. Somewhere in the corner of my left eye I saw a reddish-brown shape move just out of my vision. I threw my head around, but saw nothing.

"Calm down Rachel, your imagination runs way too wild sometimes. Maybe a fox or something was after a mouse." Once I had a normal breathing pace I stood up and stretched. While I had my arms in the air, stretching, I couldn't fight an urge to look over my shoulder. It felt as if a set of blazing eyes was piercing my back. I looked, but saw nothing except the stillness of the forest. Feeling like you're being watched makes a person feel edgy, nervous, and even anxious. I looked at the sky and the sun was low, I figured it would set in maybe a half hour. Enough time to get me out of this forest.

I turned away from the rock and froze. Although I felt uncomfortable at the moment, a part of me still screamed to stay. At that moment, my phone vibrated in my pocket, making me jump.

"Hello? Oh hi mom, yah I'm almost home. I'll see you soon! Love you too!" I tried to keep my voice light, and it seemed to work. I hung up the phone and started off in the way I'd come. The feeling of being watched never leaving my core.

As the trees started to thin out, my pace increased. By the time I crossed the street leading to my house I broke into a run. I rushed into sanctuary and slammed the front door behind me.

"What happened to you?" My mom's questioning blue eyes poured into my matching blue eyes, but I simply let out a huge breath.

"What a rush! That forest is beautiful! Mom you have to see it sometime!" And she said I couldn't act.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. You mind taking some of that up to your room?" My mom nodded toward a pair of boxes with my name on it. I grabbed the two boxes and brought them upstairs.

"Which room's mine?" I yelled down the stairs.

"Directly up the stairs and on the left!" My mom shouted up from the kitchen.

I followed her directions and dropped the boxes on the bed my mom had already set up for me. I was impressed, this room was much nicer than I expected. It had pale purple walls with curtains to match. My twin sized bed was pushed into a corner. I also saw a small desk, a lamp, and a bookshelf. My eyes soon fell upon the window. She knew me too well. I strode over to the window, opened it up, and stuck my head outside, closing my eyes and inhaling deeply, allowing the overwhelming scent of the atmosphere overcome me. The room overlooked the forest across the street. It also had a large tree right outside my window. Oh mom, you did know me too well.

When I was younger I would always climb a tall tree and nestle in it for the afternoon with a good book. I opened my eyes, noticing that I had a strange feeling again, like I was being watched.

"How do you like it?" I jumped up and hit my head on the window.

"Oh my god mom! Don't scare me like that!" I exclaimed as I rubbed my throbbing head.

"Sorry Rachie, do you want to order pizza now?" The apology showed as much in her face as it did in her voice.

"Sure mom, I'll be right down. And by the way, I love my room," I smiled at her, letting her know I was okay. My mom smiled back at me. She then pulled out her cell phone and walked downstairs as she dialed.

After dinner, mom felt the need to unpack and redecorate the entire first floor. Not tempted by her Friday night plans, I decided to head upstairs to my new room. I took out a bag of lime green sheets and a turquoise blue comforter from one of my boxes and made my bed. Once made, I threw two pillows on my bed and flopped onto my masterpiece. I didn't feel like reading. Man, I needed a television in my room. Maybe I'd finally save up my money and buy one.

I looked straight ahead of me at my window and a sudden urge to be outside was upon me. I pulled myself off of the bright bed and crept over to the window, slid it open as far as it would go, and looked into the calm night. I pulled my right leg out first, and then my left so I sat on the windowsill with both hands on either side of the windowpane. The tree branches already brushed against my window, so I didn't have far to reach until I grasped a branch that would hold my weight. I grabbed a thick one and swung my weight onto the branch that stuck directly out from the trunk of the tree. I sat down with my back to the trunk and gazed at the sky. The trunk was rough against my skin, but I was comfortable. I shifted my weight as I cocked my head up to the side to look at the moon. The moon was bright, but merely a crescent against the black sky.

A loud howling came from somewhere in the woods. The sound was agonizing to hear, as the poor creature sounded like it was in pain, but at the same time it was music to my ears as it carried loud and clear. So there were coyotes in this part of the country. That must have been what was in the forest today, a coyote merely looking for something to eat. I got so worried. I laughed and shook my head at my own imagination.

"Honestly Rachel what _are_ we going to do with that head of yours?" I could hear my mom's words that she had told me many times.

I don't know how long I stayed out on that tree limb. Too long probably. Eventually the serenity of nature took over me and I felt my eyelids falling. Knowing that if I fell asleep in this tree I would most likely fall out and break every bone in my body, I pulled myself into a standing position and crawled back through my bedroom window.


	3. Magic at First Beach

**Author's Note: Hey guys this is my last "test" chapter. So far my story has had 66 hits and only 4 reviews. Please review and let me know whether or not it's worth continuing. **

The next morning my mom suggested I check out the town and its reservations. She still had a lot of unpacking to do so I took her Sudan and head out on my own. I was barely sixteen but still knew how to drive very well. Driving around so much with my mom, I had received lessons on how to drive ever since I was thirteen.

The reservations were beautiful. Not knowing where else to go, I drove down to the ocean and parked my car. The day was bright and sunny, so being in shorts and a tee shirt didn't bother me at all. I had parked my car by what I believed to be called First Beach, according to a sign. The waves crashed against the shore, only feet from where I stood gazing out into the ocean. The wind blew tangles of my hair behind me and I inhaled deeply, savoring every sweet scent around me: the salty breeze, the trees not far off, and somewhere distant I could smell a barbeque. I took off my flip-flops and held them in my hand as I walked along the beach.

Not much later I saw a group of people coming up in front of me. As they got closer, I noticed that they were boys, teenage boys. They drew even closer, and they didn't seem so teenaged anymore. They looked as if they could be in their twenties, all very tall with tan skin and muscular builds. They weren't wearing shirts, something I didn't mind. All they had were cut-off jeans covering part of their lower half. I immediately wished that I looked better as the fingers of my free hand started to comb through the mess of hair that blew behind me.

They had noticed me. In an attempt not to make a complete fool of myself, I tended to do that around guys, I sat down where I was and pretended to get lost in the vision of the ocean. This was not too difficult for me.

Before I knew it I could hear their voices, arguing with one another. They obviously thought I couldn't hear them, but many years of nature watching had made my ears more sensitive than the average human.

"Seriously Jake, go up to her. It's not like she's going to run away screaming," I couldn't believe it. They were arguing about… me. I felt my body tense as I attempted to keep my dreamy face on and in the direction of the ocean. Before I knew it, the three of them were sitting down by my side. They were fast. I was impressed.

"What's up new girl?" One of them asked. "We haven't seen you around before, you got a name?" I could only look up at him, pretending to be pulled out of a daydream state.

"Oh hi, I'm Rachel. My mom and I just moved here yesterday." Their boldness caught me off guard, but I liked the attention.

"Well hey Rach. I'm Embry. And this guy right over here is Quil." He patted his friend's shoulder as Quil gave me a big smile. His teeth were big, white, and dazzling. Embry's were too. My eyes turned to the other one of them. He caught me off guard the most. "Oh and that doof right there is Jacob."

Jacob, I liked the name. His tan skin seemed to glow under the morning sun and his charcoal black eyes poured into me. He had long, black, untidy hair which gave him a rugged look. His hard jaw seemed very tense as his eyes moved around my face. This was starting to scare me. He was staring at me intently with a purpose in his eyes with his head tilted to one side.

"Erm, hi Jacob. Nice to meet you," I tried to get him to speak instead of just staring at me like a creep.

He blinked once and responded, "Hi."

"Don't mind my friend's poor manners; he's just a little flaky sometimes." Quil was obviously trying to divert my attention.

"Hah, I've been called flaky multiple times in my life as well," My eyes flicked to Quil as I spoke but I had to turn back to Jacob, who was still staring at me with a hint of confusion on his face. Something about the way he looked at me didn't seem so creepy the second time, it almost seemed… flattering.

"So… we've lost Jake, but Rach, tell us about yourself," Clearly Embry expected Jacob's reaction, and was determined to keep the conversation going. I pulled my gaze away from Jacob's handsome face and spoke to Embry.

"Well, my dad was a nature photographer, and while shooting in the Amazon he met a woman and ran away with her last year. My mom and I have moved around a lot ever since," My voice never faltered once, although the thought of my mom's pain cut me deep.

"Wow that's rough, do you think you'll stay here long?" This was the first full sentence I'd heard come out of Jacob's mouth. He seemed to get over whatever confusing thoughts were going through his mind as he shifted his head, waiting for me to answer.

"I'm not sure. La Push seems to be different. It's certainly a lot more beautiful than most places I've seen," I acknowledged the cliffs behind me. "My mom and I like it here so far, so I think we'll be around for a while."

A smile broke Jacob's concentrated face. I forgot to breathe for a moment. His smile was even more stunning than his friends'. His teeth were bright and his smile spread across his whole face, lighting up his dark eyes. As my glance made its way up his face, I couldn't help but gasp when I saw his gorgeous black eyes staring right into my pale blue ones.

The three seemed to notice my body's involuntary reaction, looked at one another, and laughed.

"Oh Jake you can be quite the lady's man sometimes," Embry said as he reached over and punched Jacob on the shoulder.

"Why yes I can be," Jacob smiled and turned his attention to me once more. "So Rachel, how old are you?"

I dreaded this question. These guys were probably already out of college and I was still in high school. The thought of lying about my age crossed my mind. I knew I could pass for at least eighteen. The idea left as quickly as it came, and I sighed and responded, "I'm sixteen."

"Well what a coincidence! So are we!" Embry responded to me, but he looked at Jacob while speaking. My mouth immediately fell open as I stared in disbelief at their faces. They were all so tall, so muscular, so _handsome_. Once I realized how dumb I must look, I closed my mouth and managed to speak.

"You're kidding right?"

They all shook their heads and smiled at me. "We get that a lot."

We stayed there on the beach talking for a while. We talked about hobbies, school, family, all the usual. I paid the most attention to Jacob as he spoke. He seemed to speak with fluidity that I didn't come across too often. He spoke to me as if he'd known me his whole life. I loved that these guys felt so comfortable around me. They all had a certain warmness about them, metaphorically and literally. When I sat with them the cool sea breeze never even made me shiver. Heat seemed to radiate off of their perfectly tan skin. Their tan skin made more sense when they told me about the Quileute tribe that resided in La Push, all of which they were members of.

"My mom died a while ago. I also have two older twin sisters, Rachel and Rebecca, but they moved out and have their own lives now," Jacob has a sister with the same name as me, another coincidence. I wondered if that would be weird, dating someone with the same name as your sister.

_Stop it Rachel! There's no way you'd ever have a chance with him! _

As the morning conversations went on I started to feel like Jacob was interested in me. I usually was clueless to the workings of the opposite sex, but something about him made me feel like he cared about me. The entire two hours we sat there, talking and laughing in the sand, Jacob never once took his eyes off me. He watched me constantly, observing every move I made. The way he talked to me made it sound like he only wanted to please me. If I'd ask something he'd jump to answer me. Eagerness I usually never got from guys, especially guys like _these._

Eventually the tide began to catch up with us and I regretfully stood up and stretched. I never wanted to leave that spot.

"I guess I better get going, by the looks of the sun it's almost noon." I breathed the words with a sigh as I stared into the three guys' faces. I was taken aback at Jacob's. As soon as my final word touched my tongue his face contorted, as if in pain.

"Don't go," he immediately exclaimed. Quil and Embry looked at him with matching smug smiles on their faces. "Let me take you to lunch. You deserve to be shown La Push by a true Quileute."

As much as I fought against the huge grin that was tugging against the corners of my mouth, the grin appeared anyway. "I'd like that," was my reply even though my face told him I'd more than like that.


	4. Romantic Date for Two

"Will you guys be coming too

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in a while I got busy with other stories for friends and stuff but here it is! Chapter 4! More to come soon! Enjoy!**

"Will you guys be coming too?" I still felt like an idiot with a huge smile on my face as I turned to Embry and Quil.

"Sure! I'm so hungry I could… Ow!" Quil was cut off, mid-sentence, by a sharp jab in his stomach by Jacob. He rubbed his stomach-area as he shot a glance at Jacob. Jacob looked at Embry desperately for help.

"Oh my god Quil we forgot! We need to pick up a carburetor for that dirt bike we're working on! And the shop is closing early today so we have to get going now!" Embry was practically bouncing on the balls of his bare feet as his lame excuse for him and Quil not to join us wound its way out of his mouth.

"What are you talking about? We picked one up yester…" His confused expression snapped to realization. "Oh right! Let's head down there now! See you two love birds later!" Quil waved and flashed me one final, glittering smile, winked at Jacob, and took off running down the beach with Embry.

"They must really need that carburetor. Sheesh they're running fast. You all on steroids or something?" I asked him jokingly, feeling butterflies fluttering against my stomach already.

"I wouldn't say that," he looked down at me and smiled. "So I take it you have no idea around this place so care to let me drive?" He cocked his head in the direction of my mom's car.

I hesitated a moment, wondering whether or not I should trust a stranger with my car, but I had my cell phone with me and Jacob just seemed so endearing. I felt like he really cared about me, and I felt safe with him. It's almost impossible to explain, but I just felt like me and Jacob fit. "Sure, go ahead." I placed my keys into his hand, and immediately pulled them away.

I stared at him, and then placed my hand back on his. His hand was _burning_. I had been feeling their heat all afternoon but this couldn't even compare.

"Are you running a fever?" I couldn't control the concern in my voice. It practically killed me inside to think of something even slightly bad happening to my "other half."

He reluctantly pulled his hand away from mine, and then casually ran it through his shaggy hair. He looked away from me for only a second, to gaze at the cliffs that stood not too far off. He was thoughtful for a moment. His eyes then snapped back to my face and he smiled again. "Nah, I don't get fevers too often. I just have a naturally high body temperature. It runs in the tribe."

A wave of relief poured into me as I placed the keys in his hand once more. I flinched when my skin met his, but only because of the feelings I was developing for him. He grabbed the keys with his other hand and squeezed my hand into his. His grip was firm, rugged even. Again I felt completely safe with him as we walked, hand in hand, over to my mom's car. It came into view, Jacob whistled. "A 1994 Sudan with a candy apple green coating, that's original."

I giggled like a giddy schoolgirl, quite embarrassing, but I couldn't help it. "Yeah, my mom thought it would stand out. Plus, we both love green." I looked up at him, for some reason I was still surprised to find his gaze returned to me.

When we reached my car, he all too soon pulled his hand out of mine to open the passenger side door for me. _Such a gentleman._ He almost flew over to the other side of the car and was in the car before I could blink. _Wow, this guy is good. I wish I was that fast_.

He started the car with his left hand and, without thinking, immediately grabbed my hand with his right one. I could feel my body start to tingle at his touch and those butterflies fluttered, no, beat ferociously against my stomach. He drove faster than I've ever seen anyone drive, but he seemed to have a good control over the small car.

We drove around for hours, and I completely lost track of time, and my growling stomach. Eventually we reached what appeared to be the center of La Push. Little shops and stores lined the streets.

"I really hate to kill the mood, but I'm starving." He glanced at the road and turned his attention toward me once again, his eyes full of apology and embarrassment.

"Oh thank God! I've been starving for hours!" I started laughing and he joined me. His laughter was low and masculine, like him in every way. When he laughed, his face lit up even more than when he looked at me. I could see the full power of his huge smile and all signs of tension melted from his face. He almost looked sixteen when he laughed. Out of nowhere he opened his car door and was at my car door in a second. He opened it and bowed low.

"M'lady we are going to indulge in some very fine dining tonight, Quileute River's Edge Pizza Parlor!" He gestured toward the restaurant in front of the car as he still held my door open.

"Why sir you are too kind!" I exclaimed jokingly in a bad British accent as I took his hand once more and let him lead me out of the car.

I felt like I was on cloud nine as we walked into the pizza parlor, hand in hand. The butterflies had settled down and now I was just completely soaring. Oblivious to anyone else in the pizza parlor, I practically danced by Jacob's side as he led me to an open booth.

"Alright what will it be Rachel? This place has everything and since you are _m'lady_, you get to choose. Now personally I love the meat lover's pizza but I can eat practically anything." It amazed me how Jacob could say anything and a smile would not leave his face.

As soon as he said meat lover's pizza, I felt my heart drop into my stomach. _Oh great, he's a meat lover. Now he's going to think that I'm just some animal loving hippie freak. Ughh be cool Rachel, just break it to him_.

"Umm Jacob? I'm sort of a vegetarian. Yeah, I really like animals and I just don't feel right eating them… is that okay?" I chose my words slowly, testing each on the tip of my tongue before I allowed it to be audible.

"Okay? That's great!" Jacob laughed his "signature" laugh (as I liked to call it) and reached across the table to grab my hand. He then turned to the front of the restaurant and called to a man behind the counter. "Hey Antonio! Get us one large veggie supreme. We've got a hungry vegetarian over here!" He waved me hand in his in the air as he acknowledged me as the "hungry vegetarian."

_Okay Rachel, he still likes you. He's holding your hand. Remember to breathe Rach. And whatever you do, do not let him catch you staring into those gorgeous black eyes of his. He might think you're mentally retarded._

Jacob turned back to me and began to draw circles on my hand with his fingers. Never taking his eyes off my hand, he asked, "So Rachel, what would you say is your favorite animal?"

"Well I would say a dog, but they're so common and everything, so… I would have to say a wolf."

As soon as I said the last word his eyes shot from my hand to my face. His face looked hard and concentrated for a moment, like when I first met him, but then a smile broke out on his face and he started laughing.

"That's interesting," was all he could manage through his series of hysterics.


	5. Breaking the Truth

Author's Note: Just remember that all credit for the places and most of the characters goes to Stephenie Meyer

**Author's Note: Just remember that all credit for the places and most of the characters goes to Stephenie Meyer!**

It must have been about four o'clock when we left the pizza parlor. Even though Jacob had not stopped staring at me since we met, now he stared at me with his signature smile plastered on his face. I was starting to feel self-conscious. I brushed some hair out of my face and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm sorry, am I scaring you? I can stop, but… I just can't help but stare at you. I'm trying to memorize your features." He grasped my chin in one of his hands and wrapped the other one around my waist, pulling me up against his burning body. He then tilted my chin so he was staring directly into my eyes. "Especially those ice blue eyes of yours."

My heart nearly jumped into my throat as I tried to control my breathing. He stood there, with my face tilted up toward his, for what seemed like forever. I swore he was going to kiss me, like in the movies, but he just stood there. I tried to force myself to tear away from his gaze, to see if anyone was staring, but I couldn't force myself to do it. I continued to stare into the charcoal eyes that poured into my own.

I saw a wave of emotions flicker through his eyes as we stood there. At first I saw his huge smile even in his eyes, but the smile slowly faded. I then saw concentration, sadness, and finally horror. He immediately pulled away from me, panic-stricken.

"Rachel… I.. I need to tell you something." Jacob choked out the words as if they were eating him from the inside out. "Will you come with me?" He was bending over himself, as if he had taken a blow to the stomach. Then he seemed to overcome whatever his problem was and extended his hand toward me. I took it nervously and he led me back to the car.

He drove recklessly and desperately. I sat there… terrified as he pushed my mom's little car to its speed limit. We sped around for five minutes until he screeched the car to a halt on the side of the street and got out. He then sped over to my side of the car, opened the door, and yanked me out of the car.

_Ouch. He's strong, and what the hell is wrong with him?_

Before I could even begin to guess what was wrong with him, he picked me up and cradled me against his too warm chest. He then turned and sprinted into the wet forest he had parked by. He should have been held down by my weight, but he carried me as if I was a feather. So there I was, huddled against Jacob's chest as he ran smoothly and quickly through the woods.

Eventually he stopped by a spot that seemed vaguely familiar. It took me a minute to remember that I had been here only the day before. It was the rock that I had sat on the day before; when I had the ominous feeling that someone was watching me.

Jacob set me down and stared at me, sadness in his eyes. I felt my fingers trembling as I reached up to his face.

"What's going on?" I asked him. My voice was shaky and the words were hardly audible but he seemed to understand.

"Rachel, you said you like wolves right? And earlier… when we were talking on the beach, you said nature hardly ever scared you, right?" I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded slowly. His serious manner was really scaring me.

"Jake, what's wrong?"

"Rach, do you care about me?

"Of course I do, I haven't known you that long but I feel like I have."

Jacob's eyes were on my feet. He stood there, motionless, for a minute before he finally peeked his eyes up at my face. "Rachel, the Quileute boys have a sort of, special quality about them. When we're considered old enough, a gene kicks in that is not normal…" his voice trailed off and he looked thoughtful.

_Oh crap, he probably has back hair! Or maybe even extra toes, or does he just have a small package? Whatever it is, I don't care. Ughh just tell me already Jacob!_

"Rach I'm a werewolf."

_Is he serious with this? Werewolves don't exist!_

My thoughts must have shown on my face because his face fell and he once again was quiet. Finally he spoke again. "I'll show you if you don't believe me."

I nodded to show my approval and he sulked away into the woods. I decided to take a seat on my sitting rock and process the possibility that Jacob was a werewolf. Within a matter of seconds, I saw a russet colored mass walking carefully up to me.

I couldn't help it. My mouth fell open and it refused to shut. I saw the creature look at my expression, misjudge it, and backed off. Curiosity got the best of me and I hopped off my rock and took one step toward the mass.

At first glance, it looked like a bear. But no, it was bigger than a bear. Much bigger. It had four legs and, once you got over the shock of its size, you could tell that it was a wolf. I was fascinated. I couldn't help but smile as I took one more step toward the wolf.

He saw my reaction and closed the gap between us in two long strides. He then lay down so his head was nearly even with mine. I couldn't be sure but it looked like he was flashing me a wolfy grin, and his tongue lolled out of the side of his mouth. I kneeled down by Jacob and stroked his head. His fur was shaggy and warm, just like Jacob's own hair.

I then moved my face toward one of his massive ears and whispered, "You think I'm afraid of the big bad wolf? I love wolves, Jacob. I love that you showed me this, and I think I might, just might, love you."

Jacob then choked out what sounded almost like a laugh. He turned his wolfy face toward mine and slobbered his big, wet tongue all over my face.

"Ew, Jake! Gross!" I managed to get out through my series of giggles.

Jacob stood up and ran away into the woods. My heart dropped when I watched him leave, but he soon returned to me in human form. I ran to him and wrapped my arms around him, without even realizing how stupid and cliché it must have looked.

Jacob then picked me up and carried me over to the sitting rock. "Rachel, when you were sitting here, on this rock yesterday, I saw you. I was running through the woods and noticed your blonde hair shaking in the breeze. And at that moment I knew I was meant for you, but knowing that hurt me a lot. You see, I used to be in love with this girl, Bella Swan, who is in love with this vampire, Edward Cullen." He stopped when a surprised look took over my face. "Oh yeah, vampires and werewolves have this whole rivalry, I'll get into it more later."

"Um, okay. But that's it right? Just werewolves and vampires right? I mean I don't have to watch out for magical elves running around do I?" This information was almost too much to bear, but the adrenaline was already pumping through my veins, so I didn't care.

"Haha, no. Just werewolves and vampires. But listen, I was, and might still be, incredibly in love with Bella Swan. We have a past and I have been infatuated with her for a long time."

His words cut like a razorblade against my heart. You know that feeling when your throat starts to clench and tingle and your heart gets so warm that the heat travels through your body? When your stomach starts to feel those unforgiving butterflies that spark an instant flow of tears? That is the worst feeling you can ever feel; the feeling of your heart breaking. I bit my lip and forced back my hot tears. They show weakness, and I could not let him see that side of me, not yet.

"If you love her, then why are you still talking to me?" I croaked out the words through my teeth. I don't even know why I was so upset. My head was screaming at me to just forget him.

_You haven't even known this kid for a whole day. Shake it off Rachel, you've been through worse._

Yet, at the same time, my heart longed for Jacob's warmth.

_You love him. Time isn't important right now, you LOVE him. And his heart belongs to someone else; let him know that it hurts._

The internal battle inside me was tearing me apart and I made sure no tears were streaming down my cheek as I turned my face toward his.

Horror filled his face when he saw my reaction. "Oh, Rachel no. No, no, no, no, no! You don't understand. Bella broke my heart time and time again, and from the moment I first saw you, I knew that I loved you more."

"How is that even possible?" I whispered, not daring to look at him again.

"Oh, Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. Let me explain to you a little thing we werewolves do called imprinting."


End file.
